Faced with a massive demand for transponders, India plans tolaunch 14 communication satellites by 2017.
The Department of Space (DoS) has projected demand for 794transponders in the 12th plan (2012-2017) from the operational transpondercapacity of 187 from INSAT-GSAT satellites as of March-end this year.
These proposed 14 spacecraft, including high power S-bandsatellite for mobile communications and new generation geo-imaging satellite,are aimed at increasing the transponder capacity and introducing new generationbroadband VSAT systems and Ka band systems.
These satellites would bridge the gap between the demand andsupply of the transponders to meet all the requirements of the country and alsoto maintain sufficient spares capacity to meet contingencies, sources in IndianSpace Research Organisation, R&D wing of the Department of Space, said.
"Maintaining and securing sufficient orbit-spectrumresources for country?s Satcom activities will be a thrust area of the 12thPlan", an ISRO official said, quoting the 12th plan proposals of DoS."It has been planned to pursue rigorously to secure spectrum for 100additional Ku-band transponders and around 50 C-band/Ext C-band transponders innewer orbital locations".
During the 12th Plan period, 16 PSLV missions, six GSLVMK-II missions and two GSLV MK-III missions (including one experimentalmission) are planned to be accomplished.
In addition, initiatives such as new satcom policy, spacelegislation and space navigation policy are proposed to be put in place tofacilitate the growth and development of space science and technology in thecountry.
